Kathryn A. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kerravonsen) wrote2007-10-13 08:44 am
kerravonsen) wrote2007-10-13 08:44 am
Organics Win At Life
"I've been thinking--"
"A dangerous pasttime."
"I know."
There seems to be this assumption in SF that organic life is messy and inefficient and short-lived, and robots and androids and computers are the way to go. And nobody questions that robots are physically superior and last longer.
But, thinking about it, they aren't. Not in the longevity stakes, at least. The fallacy is that robots last longer because their parts are more easily replaceable and more easily repaired. But I contend that organic life has got a magnificent built-in self-repair facility which outstrips any robot repair shop. Just think how long your average car lasts before it has to be scrapped. Think how long your average computer lasts. Think what a pain it is to copy all your data to a new computer. Yes, futuristic robots are obviously going to be much better at that, but even so -- how many robots do you realistically think would manage to keep going for 70 years without stopping? Organic life is magnificent!
I was thinking about my trip, and remembering those cute little beagles at the airport, that sniff peoples bags for drugs. Organic sniffing equipment, with a trained operator, you might say. But if it were replaced by some metal air-tester, I can tell you two things: (a) it would break down a lot and (b) it wouldn't wag its tail at you.
Beagles are love.
"A dangerous pasttime."
"I know."
There seems to be this assumption in SF that organic life is messy and inefficient and short-lived, and robots and androids and computers are the way to go. And nobody questions that robots are physically superior and last longer.
But, thinking about it, they aren't. Not in the longevity stakes, at least. The fallacy is that robots last longer because their parts are more easily replaceable and more easily repaired. But I contend that organic life has got a magnificent built-in self-repair facility which outstrips any robot repair shop. Just think how long your average car lasts before it has to be scrapped. Think how long your average computer lasts. Think what a pain it is to copy all your data to a new computer. Yes, futuristic robots are obviously going to be much better at that, but even so -- how many robots do you realistically think would manage to keep going for 70 years without stopping? Organic life is magnificent!
I was thinking about my trip, and remembering those cute little beagles at the airport, that sniff peoples bags for drugs. Organic sniffing equipment, with a trained operator, you might say. But if it were replaced by some metal air-tester, I can tell you two things: (a) it would break down a lot and (b) it wouldn't wag its tail at you.
Beagles are love.
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Metal air testers are definitely significantly less cute, though. ;)
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Oh, and three cheers for Gaston!
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